5 Ways to Prepare Your Kids for the First Day of School

The carefree days of summer are winding down, and the new school year is just around the corner. Stocking up on inexpensive school supplies isn’t the only way to ensure your kids are ready to face the first day. Here are five other ideas to help prepare for the school year:

1. Set the Alarm Clock Again

If your children are used to staying up late and sleeping in, use the last couple weeks of summer to start re-establishing a routine. Have your child get up when the alarm clock rings, and get dressed. Eat breakfast together and then enjoy your summer plans.

This will help your kids start getting in the “get up and go” mindset, instead of relaxing in their pajamas all morning. When school starts, your child won’t be fighting grogginess on the first day. They’ll already be used to getting up and out the door.

2. Anticipate Anxiety

Children of all ages can experience anxiety about the new school year. New teachers. New friends. It’s a whole lot of newness to take in.

Anticipate your child’s feelings, and talk through the first day jitters. Share stories of your own first day of school fears to connect with your child. After all — most everyone feels this way, so talking about it can help the feelings seem more normal.

3. Easy Nutrition

School mornings can be crazy! You’re going to want to spend some time now thinking through meals for the first few weeks of school. Do a meal plan to help keep costs low.

You’ll want some easy options for breakfast. If you send your child to school with a lunch, you’ll also need simple lunch options. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast:

Granola bars

Toast with cheese

Muffins

Sausage patty on a bun

Breakfast burrito

Scrambled eggs

Lunch:

Simple sandwiches

Cheese & crackers

Tortilla spread with hummus and rolled up

Leftovers

Chef salad

Take time before the first day of school to fill your freezer with homemade versions of options like breakfast burritos and muffins. This prep will help your first day back go smoothly!

4. Create a Home for Backpacks and Important Papers

In order to help your children learn responsibility, designate a home for their school things. Remember to have a place for papers that need your attention. This way you don’t have to dig through their backpacks every single night.

Practice putting away the backpack before school starts, and putting papers where they need to go. Remember to reward your child with praise for being responsible!

5. Get an After School Routine Established

What do you expect from your child after school? Do they need to do their homework and have a snack, or can they have some free time first? Will they be going to daycare or the YMCA while until you’re home from work?

Think about what works best for your family, and talk through the plans with your children. Knowing what to expect, and being able to ask questions about it, will help your children feel more confident in the approaching first day.

How Do You and Your Children Prepare for the First Day Back?

We’d love to have you chime in over on the iRazooFacebook page. The first day is coming, so let’s all be prepared for it.